Shaw leads Stanford quietly, effectively

Updated 12:00 am, Saturday, November 24, 2012

Without calling undue attention to himself, David Shaw coaches Stanford football in an exemplary manner, as he proved last Saturday when the Cardinal upset No. 1 Oregon.

Without calling undue attention to himself, David Shaw coaches Stanford football in an exemplary manner, as he proved last Saturday when the Cardinal upset No. 1 Oregon.

Photo: Don Ryan, Associated Press

Shaw leads Stanford quietly, effectively

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Coaches so often become the story in football, whether it's the manic Jim Harbaugh, the crazed Les Milesor the obsessive Jon Gruden, who reportedly appears ready to take a new job and leave ESPN. Jim Mora, the UCLA coach, has found himself in constant trouble this year with wisecracking remarks about the media and rival USC.

Mora's counterpart Saturday on the Rose Bowl sidelines, Stanford's David Shaw, hasn't once been a "story" in the headline-making sense. He carries an admirable balance of fiery leadership (within the privacy of his team) and unflappable calm (in public). We learn about his coaching prowess in stages, lending the strong suggestion that there are more pleasant discoveries to come.

As the caretaker of Harbaugh's Stanford program, Shaw retained the kind of complex, totally unpredictable offense so well-suited to Andrew Luck's acumen. But there was an unfortunate loss in the Fiesta Bowl, and two more occasions this year - the losses to Washington and Notre Dame - on which the man seemed far too conservative.

It was a bit difficult to make that claim in the game that, so far, has defined Shaw's career. During his three-hour coaching masterpiece at Oregon, Shaw called for a pass play on 4th-and-1 at the Oregon 41-yard-line in the second quarter. The play should have worked - Ryan Hewittgot both hands on the slightly errant toss - and even as it backfired, Oregon quickly driving for a touchdown, we learned a little bit more about the Stanford operation.

More than anything, Cardinal fans have been blessed with a firsthand glimpse into Shaw's sense of trust. Last year's USC game seemed lost when Luck threw an interception that turned into a touchdown, but instead of stomping angrily around the L.A. Coliseum sideline, Shaw pulled Luck aside for a very calm, measured conversation that restored his and the team's confidence.

Shaw could have abandoned his faith in placekicker Jordan Williamsonin the wake of that disastrous Fiesta Bowl, but when Williamson missed a fourth-quarter field-goal attempt at Oregon with Stanford trailing 14-7, we learned that Shaw put his arms around him, "looked him right in the eye and said, 'It's time to grow up.' " Later, with Williamson's game-winning field goal in the books, Shaw told reporters he'd been praying - not that Williamson would make the kick, "just praying about everything he's been through. He's such a sweet kid, and I just thanked God for bringing Jordan through all that turmoil."

It wasn't a terribly earthshaking story when Shaw brought freshman quarterback Kevin Hoganinto play, for the team appeared to be in irrevocable descent. Think about it, though: Every training-camp conversation centered on Josh Nunesand Brett Nottingham. That was the competition. And yet, Shaw saw enough of Hogan in practice to spot his talent for improvisation: somebody who could - in the fine Luck tradition - routinely change plays at the line. Hogan got a trial against Colorado and then became the starter, just like that. Shaw trusted his instincts, and they were startlingly accurate.

Now comes a Saturday that just might launch Stanford into the Rose Bowl. From this viewpoint, there is no doubt. I'll take the quiet man we're still getting to know.

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Great stuff this week as USA Today ran one of those intrusive charts listing the salary of every coach in major-college football. Next to Shaw's name: N/A. Not available. Tremendous. Nobody's business ... All of Stanford's linebackers deserve special attention, but when NFL scouts pick out their textbook tacklers, they have to include 6-foot-2, 240-pound A.J. Tarpley. He was seriously disruptive at Oregon ... I've always found it an especially appealing college season when Notre Dame is a powerhouse, but a USC win would bring about some very necessary BCS chaos, making it clear once again that an eight-team playoff is the only way to go ... Here's to ESPN's Michael Wilbonand his simple rule about conference alignment: Fans should be able to drive to each rival city without excessive difficulty. That's why the Big Ten's new additions (Rutgers and Maryland) represent such a total disgrace - something nobody in Big Ten country wants, except those cashing the television checks ... Speaking of which, Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scottnegotiated a fabulous TV deal that benefits all schools, but those ever-shifting start times (often delayed until just nine days before the game) are driving fans away from the stadiums. From Cal grad Jim Erickson: "It's more than annoying. It causes me to rethink attending games that I otherwise would have no thought of missing. I believe my kid's interest in attending college was materially influenced by the Saturday afternoons our family spent walking through the campus and watching the games. It's an ethereal experience that cannot be replicated at night." ... From Stanford grad Steve Holmlund: "This is the biggest reason for the attendance dropoff at Stanford. The traditional 1 p.m. starting time defined the football experience at Stanford for decades. Night games on the Farm are complete nonstarters. Friday nights and an October Big Game: dumb and dumber. So we're not idiots. If they want us to watch on TV, we'll watch on TV."

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